I remember running my first 10K years ago in Los Angeles’ Chinatown with a close friend. I hadn’t trained as much as I should have, but I felt good about finishing the race. My friend had been very consistent with her training schedule, running several times every week. At the start, she insisted on staying with me and running at my pace, but I encouraged her to go ahead and run her best race. As I ran on my own, something clicked: I needed to run my own race at my own pace.

As we journey through Lent, a season of reflection and preparation, Hebrews 12:1-3 offers us profound guidance. The passage encourages us to lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and to run with endurance the race set before us. This race is not a sprint but a marathon, requiring perseverance and focus. The key to running this race successfully is to fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame, f